Float-actuated valve

ABSTRACT

A float-actuated valve contains a vertical tube having in its bottom a narrower inlet opening. A conical valve body is arranged to move up and down in said inlet opening. The valve body is connected to a float which floats on the surface of a body of liquid. If the water surface rises the valve body will be lifted so as to reduce the free area of the inlet opening. Consequently, the rate of flow through the valve will be substantially constant. The thickest portion of the valve body is narrower than the inlet opening, and the entire valve body can, consequently, be lifted to a position above the inlet opening. In this position the liquid can flow through the full area of the inlet opening.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,676,666 4/l954 Howe 137/398 X 3,025,872 3/l962 McLerran et al. l37/398Primary ExaminerM. Cary Nelson Assistant ExaminerDavid R. MatthewsAttorneyMcGlew and Toren ABSTRACT: A float-actuated valve contains avertical tube having in its bottom a narrower inlet opening. A conicalvalve body is arranged to move up and down in said inlet opening. Thevalve body is connected to a float which floats on the surface of a bodyof liquid. If the water surface rises the valve body will be lifted soas to reduce the free area of the inlet opening. Consequently, the rateof flow through the valve will be substantially constant. The thickestportion of the valve body is narrower than the inlet opening, and theentire valve body can, consequently, be lifted to a position above theinlet opening. in this position the liquid can flow through the fullarea of the inlet opening.

PATENTED JAN! 1 m2 3'633'610 IN VE NTOR KKE 05cm? w. HELLQVIST 8v W7:Om/W A TORNEYS FLOAT-ACTUATED VALVE This is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Ser. No. 856,559 filed Sept. 10, 1969.

The invention is concerned with a float-actuated valve for reducing thevariations in a flow of liquid. It is the main object of the inventionto provide a float-actuated valve which is useful for adjusting thesupply of sewage water to an apparatus for the biological purificationof such sewage water. The supply of such sewage water varies very much,and it is desired that the sewage water shall flow in a steady flowthrough the purification apparatus. It is another object of theinvention to provide a float-actuated valve which contains a minimum ofmovable parts, and which operates satisfactorily in a liquid containingsolid and semisolid impurities, which is often the case with sewage. Itis another object of the invention to provide a floatactuated valvewhich, at normal conditions, produces a steady flow of liquid, andwhich, when the supply of liquid is abnormally high, opens, completelyto let a maximum ofliquid pass through the valve.

The float-actuated valve of the invention comprises a vertical tubehaving in its bottom a narrower portion defining an inlet opening forthe liquid, an outlet tube for the liquid, said outlet tubecommunicating with the vertical tube and preferably being branched fromthe vertical tube, an upwardly tapering valve body extending through theinlet opening, the broadest portion of said valve body being narrowerthan said inlet opening, to permit the entire valve body to pass throughthe inlet opening, and a float connected to the valve body to adjust thelevel of said valve body relative to said inlet opening in dependence onthe level of the liquid.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing. Thefloat-actuated valve illustrated on the drawing is mounted on a verticalwall 12 which constitutes a partition between two compartments, viz afirst compartment 9 and a second compartment 10. Both compartmentscontain sewage water supplied to the compartment 9 by means notillustrated. The water surface in the compartment 9 varies between ahighest level 13 and a lowest level 14. The compartment 10 represents apurification apparatus, of which no details are illustrated, becausesaid apparatus does not form part of the invention. It is desired thatthe sewage water shall flow through said apparatus at a steady flow andhaving its surface at the level 15.

The valve contains a vertical tube 1, situated in the compartment 9 andhaving its lower end below the lowest water level 14 and its upper endabove the highest water level 13. A branch tube 11 extends horizontallyfrom the vertical tube 1 through an opening in the wall 12 into thecompartment 10. The lower wall of the branch tube 11 defines the desiredwater level 15 in the compartment 10. The lower end of the vertical tube1 has a flange 5 extending inwardly and constituting a narrower portiondefining an inlet opening 8 for the water in the compartment 9 into thetube 1. A valve body 2 having the general shape of a double cone extendsthrough said inlet opening 8. The valve body 2 has an upper conicalportion 2a which narrows upwardly, and a lower conical portion 2b whichnarrows downwardly. The broadest portion of the valve body 2 is narrowerthan the inlet opening 8, so that the entire valve body 2 can easilypass up and down through said inlet opening 8. Said broadest portion ofthe valve body 2 should preferably be situated near the lower end of thevalve body,

preferably at a distance from the lower end of l/5-l/ IQ of the entirelength of the valve body.

The lower end of the valve body 2 is fastened to the lower end of a rod4 which extends outside of and parallel with the vertical tube 1. Theupper end of the body 4 is fastened to a float 3 which floats on thewater in the compartment 9. The upper end of the valve body 2 isfastened to a rod 16 which extends through a guide member 17 which keepsthe rod in a vertical position and coaxial with the tube 1.

The illustrated valve operates in this way. A low water level in thecompartment 9 results in a low position of the valve body 2, the top ofthe valve body 2 being lower than the inlet opening 8. Consequently, thewater in the compartment 9 can flow through the entire opening 8 to thecompartment 10. If

the water level in the compartment 9 rises, the valve body 2 will alsorise, thus reducing the free area of the inlet opening 8. In otherwords: as the difference in water levels between the compartments 9 and10 increases, the area of the inlet opening 8 decreases, and thisresults in the rate of flow from the compartment 9 to the compartment 10being substantially constant. In the position illustrated on the drawingthe valve body 2 has reduced the free area of the inlet opening 8 nearlyto a minimum. If the water level in the compartment 9 continues to rise,the broadest part of the valve body 2 will come to a position higherthan the inlet opening 8, resulting in an increase of the free area ofthe inlet opening 8, and also in an increase of the rate of flow fromthe compartment 9 to the compartment 10. The capacity of thepurification apparatus is not sufficient for this increased flow ofsewage water, but such an abnormally increased flow is usually of shortduration. Therefore, it is preferred to let the purification apparatusoperate at a reduced efficiency for such short periods, instead ofbuilding a bigger apparatus having a capacity sufficient for a maximalsupply of sewage water.

The entire quantity of sewage water has to pass through the inletopening 8. Said inlet opening is permanently situated below the watersurface. Consequently, no water has to pass from the compartment 9 tothe compartment 10 via an overflow. The absence of an overflow resultsin the pronounced advantage that sludge and dirt floating on the surfaceof the sewage water in the compartment 9 cannot enter into thecompartment 10.

What is claimed is:

l. A float-actuated valve for the reducing the variations in a flow ofliquid, comprising a vertical tube 1 having in its bottom a narrowerportion defining an inlet opening for the liquid, an outlet tube 11 forthe liquid, said outlet tube 11 communicating with the vertical tube 1and preferably being branched from the vertical tube, an upwardlytapering valve body 2 extending through the inlet opening 8, thebroadest portion of said valve body being narrower than said inletopening, to permit the entire valve body to pass through the inletopening, and a float 3 connected to the valve body 2 to adjust the levelof said valve body relative to said inlet opening 8 in dependence on thelevel of the liquid.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, in which the valve body 2 has theshape of a double cone having an upper conical portion 2a narrowingupwardly, and a lower conical portion 2b narrowing downwardly.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, in which the valve body 2 has itsbroadest portion near its lower end.

1. A float-actuated valve for the reducing the variations in a flow ofliquid, comprising a vertical tube 1 having in its bottom a narrowerportion defining an inlet opening for the liquid, an outlet tube 11 forthe liquid, said outlet tube 11 communicating with the vertical tube 1and preferably being branched from the vertical tube, an upwardlytapering valve body 2 extending through the inlet opening 8, thebroadest portion of said valve body being narrower than said inletopening, to permit the entire valve body to pass through the inletopening, and a float 3 connected to the valve body 2 to adjust the levelof said valve body relative to said inlet opening 8 in dependence on thelevel of the liquid.
 2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, in which thevalve body 2 has the shape of a double cone having an upper conicalportion 2a narrowing upwardly, and a lower conical portion 2b narrowingdownwardly.
 3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, in which the valve body 2has its broadest portion near its lower end.